Clothes wringer structure



May 25, 1943. ML. ETTEN CLOTHES WRINGER STRUCTURE Filed March 25, 1940 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 May 25, 1943; N. L. ETTEN 2,320,226

CLOTHES WRINGER S TRUCTURE 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed March 25, 1940 May 25,1943. N. L. ETTEN 2,320,226

CLOTHES WRINGER STRUCTURE Filed March 25, 1940 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 'the following descriptions and drawings Patented May 25, 1943 UNITED STATES ATENT OFFIQE 2,320,226 CLOTHES" VRINGER STRUCTURE Nicholas L. Etten, Waterloo, Iowa Application March 25, 1940, Serial No. 325,758

I (01. se -244.)

4. Claims.

This invention relates to clothes wring'ers of the type used on domestic washing machines and refers particularly to an improved structure for such wringers.

The styling of present day wringers has led artists to a streamlined wring-er design-that harmonizes and unifies the wringer with the washer. This design development requires that the wringer be finished in the same color as the washer and as washers are now popularly finished in white enamel, requiring high baking temperatures, this has created various difliculties with conventional wringer structures wherein it is awkward and expensive to remove such parts of the wringer which would be damaged. by high baking temperatures.

Manufacturers of domestic washing machines commonly offer a full line'of their machines, ranging from the highest to the lowest priced models. These models vary from each other more in exterior appearance, finish, and styling than they do in mechanism. Furthermore, it is common practice to change the styles from year to year. With conventional wringer structures these changes in styling are more expensive than is justified, principally because of the intimate relationship of the mechanical parts with the exterior frame of the wringer.

It is the particular object of this invention to provide a wringer structure wherein the mechanical and working parts of the wringer are separate and distinct from the exterior frame or shell in order to facilitate the styling and manufacture of wringers.

Other objects and benefits will be disclosed in m which:

Fig. l is a side elevation View of my wringer structure with one side shell removed;

Fig. 2 is an enlarged broken end elevation view of my wringer;

Fig. 3 is a broken cross sectional detail view of the joint of the two outer shells as they would appear on the section lines 33 of Fig. 2; and

Fig. 4 is an interior isometric view of one of the outer shells showing the drain board and attachment bracket.

Now referring to the drawings and at the outset to Figs. 1 and 2, I designate a pair of outer shells A and B which completely cover a mechanical wringer structure C attached to a conventional wringer gear head D actuated by a handle D'. It will be obvious that the shells A and B may be formed or styled in any desirable manner because they nave little relationship dependability on the shape of the wringer frame 0 and the wringer head D.

Now-referring to Fig. 4, it will befob'served that the drain board A is formed integrally with the shell A. However, as will be WeIIuridrStOOd and appreciated, this drain board'A' (as well as the direction drain or flipper heard, not shown) may be made of a separate piece in any desirable form and attached to the frame A. Therefore, it will be understood and appreciated that the shape of the frames A and B, as well as the shapes of the drain boards A and B, may be varied to suit the designer without in any way affecting the mechanical structure C and D. The shells are attached to the mechanical structure by any conventional method. In the present arrangement I show an attachment bracket 23having a bolt hole 25 adjacent the hollow under the drain board A, and through this bracket the outer end of theshell may be firmly attached to the outer end of the frame C by bolt 2%. V The inner end is secured by a bolt 25' through a hole 25; as will be well understood from the drawings. Similarly, the frame B- is attached to the other side of the wringer mechanism.

In order to secure the two shells firmly together at the joint some interlocking means is employed such as illustrated in Fig. 3, wherein depressions 21 in the shell C engage openings 28 in the flange of the shell B. Many other forms of such fastenings are available, but it will be understood that I provide snap means to hold the edges of the shell securely together in order to maintain a smooth connection between the two shells.

In regard to the mechanical structure of the wringer, I show a form of wringer structure well adapted for the purpose because it employs only a single lower frame and otherwise is sturdy, self-contained, and inexpensive. This particular form of wringer structure is covered by my copending application Serial No. 325,757, filed March 25, 1940. In this wringer structure I employ a frame l0 attached to the wringer head D by the bolting ears II and i2 and bolts H and 12. The rolls I l and I5 are mounted in bearings in the frame ID in a conventional manner but the up er roll I5 is retained in resilient pressure contact with the lower roll 14 by lever and link mechanism l6, l1, l8, I9, and 20 actuated by dual springs 2i and 22. It will be observed that all of this mechanism is carried. on the frame iii and has no working relationship with the outer shells A. and B. It, therefore,

will be understood and appreciated that this mechanism may be finished separate from the outer shells and inasmuch as it is entirely covered by these shells, no line finish is necessary and the mechanism need not be subjected to high temperatures which would damage the rubber rolls, wood bearings, springs and lubricating grease in the wringer gear head. HOW- ever, the outer shells may be finished in white enamel baked at any desired degree of temperature.

Having thus explained my invention it will be appreciated that I have provided a wringer structure wherein the outer shell of the wringer may be formed or styled in any desired shape without affecting the mechanical structure and that these outer shells may be finished by enameling at high temperatures separate from the mechanical structure of the wringer and that the outer shells may be assembled on the mechanical structure of the wringer with a minimum of effort and expense.

Having thus described my invention, I claim:

1. A two part structure constituting an outer covering for the supporting frame, wringer rolls and gear casing of a wringer wherein each of said parts has a continuous flange at the ends and the top thereof, and wherein a. portion of the flange at one edge thereof has a recess, the corresponding recesses of complementary flange portions forming an opening of a configuration substantially corresponding to the peripheral surface of a portion of a gear control handle adapted to be received in said opening.

2. In a clothes wringer structure, the combination with wringer and gear head structure, said wringer structure comprising a frame, a pair of coacting wringer rolls, means mounting said rolls in the frame for turning movements, means for applying resilient pressure to the rolls, and means for driving at least one of the rolls from the gear head structure, of an outer shell structure substantially enclosing the wringer and gear head structures, said shell structure having sides and top separate from the wringer and gear head structures and extending continuously along opposite sides of the frame and over the top thereof substantially enclosing said structures, said shell structure sides having openings therein opposite the bite of the rolls, and means for mounting the shell structure on the wring-er frame.

3. In a clothes wringer structure, the combination with wringer and gear head structures,

said wringer structure comprising a frame, a, pair of coacting wringer rolls, means mounting said rolls in the frame for turning movements, means for applying resilient pressure to the rolls, and means for driving at least one of the rolls from the gear head structure, of an outer shell structure enclosing the wringer and gear head structures, said shell structure comprising a pair of complementary shell members embracing opposite sides of the wringer and gear head structures and extending about the sides and over the top thereof separate from the wringer frame, and bolts extending through the wringer frame and the gear head structure respectively and mounting the shell members on the wringer frame and gear head structure.

4. In a clothes wringer structure, the combination with wringer and gear head structures,-

said wringer structure comprising a frame, a pair of coacting wringer rolls, means mounting said rolls in the frame for turning movements, means for applying resilient pressure to the rolls, and means for driving at least one of the rolls from the gear head structure, of an outer-shell structure substantially enclosing the wringer and gear head structures, said shell structure extending about the sides and over the top of the I wringer and gear head structures separate from the wringer frame, means for mounting the shell structure on the wringer frame and gear head structure, and drain boards formed integralwith the shellstructure sides and extending outwardly and inwardly therefrom substantially to the rolls.

NICHOLAS L. 'E'ITEN'. 1 

